Asfaloth Sounding Rocket: Preliminary Launch-Site Ground-Wind Analysis and Implications on Launch Rail Design

Taiwan recently enacted the National Space Development Act and reformed the National Space Organization (NSPO) into the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), aiming to strengthen national satellite heritage while also venturing into rocket development. The trend is echoed by a rapid proliferation of sounding rocket programs across Taiwan’s universities such as the National Cheng Kung University, Tamkang University, Feng Chia University and the authors’ National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. Presently, all major academic sounding rockets in Taiwan are launched through the newly established Short-Term Sounding Rocket Launch Site at Xuhai. Due to the site’s unique terrain of a narrow coastline bordered by sheer cliffs, strong seasonal winds and unique ground-wind patterns can impede launches for a significant portion of each year. However, due to the site’s nascency, an in-depth analysis of these wind patterns in the context of rocket launches has not been openly published. This proceeding’s objective is to present a preliminary analysis of ground-wind patterns around the launch site as gathered from publicly available weather stations data, paving the way for higher-fidelity analysis and predictive outcome of launch weather criteria. These analyses are also viewed through the case study of Asfaloth, a sounding rocket by the author’s team.